Hay loader



c. J. SMITH HAYLOADER Feb. 1, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed lay 24, 1946 w .m 4? Z jib/7760 C. J. SMITH an 1.9mm

Feb. 1, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1946 c. J. SMITH HAY LOADER Feh 1 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 24, 1946 r s e o W a W a w W a C. J. 'SMITH HAY LOADER Feb. 1, 1949.

Filed lay 24, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,460,544 HAY LOADER Charles J. Smith, Albany, N. Y. 1 Application May 24, 1946, Serial No. 671,957 8 Claims. (01. 214-112) My invention relates to agricultural machinery, and most particularly to hay loaders.

The object of my invention is to produce a hay loader adapted to be attached to an automotive vehicle to gather hay from the ground and deliver it to a hay wagon or the like.

Another object of my invention is to produce a hay loader adapted to lift a load of gathered hay and to deliver it to a hay wagon or the like located at either side of the hay loader.

' Other objects of my invention may appear in the following specification, describing my invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention.

It is, however, to be understood that my inven-v tion is not to be limited and restricted to the exact construction and combination of parts described in the' specification and shown in the drawings, but that such changes and modifications can be made, which fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a hay loader ac cording to my invention shown attached to a tractor.

Figure 2 is a front view of the hay loader shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view in a larger scale taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1.-

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the hay loader according to my invention showing the hay-gathering prongs in elevated position.

Figure '7 is a top plan view of the control mechanism of the hay loader according to my invention.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8. Y

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a supporting frame I I0 consisting mainly of two fiat bars arranged parallel to each other is adjustably attached to the front of a tractor H in the following manner: A T-shaped bracket 12 is rigidly mounted on the front of the tractor frame by means of bolts l3. A connecting member M has two forwardly extending arms l5 which are arranged closely adjacent and securely fastened to the supporting frame III by means of rivets lever 29 is adapted to permost part of IS or the like, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The connecting member ll has also two rearwardly extending prongs II, which receive the forwardly extending flange of the T-shaped bracket l2 between them and are pivotally fastened thereto by a bolt I8.

On each side of the tractor frame an upwardly extending frame leg I! is firmly attached by bolts or the like. The upper portions 2| of these frame legs l9 incline inwardly toward each other and support between them a pipe 22. An adjusting rod 23 is arranged slidably in the pipe 22 and is bifurcated at its front end, forming two prongs 24 located close to the outside surfaces of the bars of the supporting frame Ill. Ineach of these bars a slot 25 is rovided and a bolt 26 extends through said slots and said prongs 24.

The rear end of the adjusting rod 23 is also bifurcated as indicated at 21 in Figure 1, and a connecting bar 28 is pivotally mounted in said bifurcation. The rear of this connecting bar 28 is bifurcated and an adjusting lever 29 is arranged in this bifurcation. The adjusting lever 29 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 30 securely fastened to the frame of the tractor. The upthe bracket 30 is formed into a toothed arcuate adjusting member 3| and the adjusting lever 29 is pivotally connected with the connecting bar 23 above said adjusting member. A spring-controlled pawl 32 of well known construction engages the toothed adjusting member 3| and a hand lever 33 attached to the adjusting disengage the pawl 32 from said adjusting member, permitting the adjusting lever 29 to be moved forwardly or rearwardly, thereby adjusting the angular position of the supporting frame In relative to the tractor frame by pivoting the supporting frame about the bolt I8.

A loading frame 3| consisting mainly of two flat bars is pivotally connected with the supporting frame ill in the following manner: A hinge member 35 has two rearwardly extending arms 36 which are located outside of the bars forming the supporting frame I0 and are rigidly mounted on the lower end of these bars by rivets 31 or the like. A second hinge member 38 has two forwardly extending arms 39 which are located adjacent the inside surfaces of the bars forming the loading frame 34 and are securely fastened thereon by bolts 40 or the like. The hinge member 38 is arranged on top of the hinge member 35. Each of said members is provided with a hole therein and a hinge pin 4| extending through these holes connects the two hinge members.

Another hinge member 42 similar to the firstnamed hinge member 35 is firmly attached to the bars of the supporting frame ID at a distance below their upper ends, and a fourth hinge member 43 similar to the second hinge member 38 is securely fastened frame 34 so that said last-named hinge member 43 is arranged on top of the third hinge member 42. A hinge pin 44 connects the two last-named hinge members 42 and 43, so that the loading frame 34 is hingedly supported by the support frame I8.

A U-shaped traveler 45 has its flanges extending rearwardly on the outside of the bars of the loading frame 34. The portion of the U-shaped traveler connecting the two flanges is arranged across the front of the loading frame and a hook or an eye 46 is firmly secured to its upper surface.

A bracket 41 is fastened onto the top ends of the support frame bars and extends across the upper end of said frame l8. Two bearing arms 48 extend upwardly and forwardly from the bracket 41 and support rotatably a sheave 49. A cable 58 is fastened to the eye 46 on the traveler 45 and is trained over the sheave 49 and leads to a winding drum forming a part of the loading control mechanism to be described later.

A front plate 52 is fastened to the front of the traveler 45 by means of bolts 53 and supports a plurality of forwardly extending fork prongs 54, which are arranged and formed so that they are located adjacent the ground to gather hay spread on the ground in front of the ,hay loader while the tractor H is driven forward by its motor 55. Any unevenness of the ground is overcome by manipulating the adjusting lever 29 to regulate the angular relation between the support frame In and the frame of the tractor II.

To facilitate the movement of the traveler 45 on the loading frame 34 rollers 58 are mounted rotatably on the flanges of the traveler and engage the edges of the bars of the loading frame.

A top bracket 51 is securely fastened to the forming the loading frame 35 and extends across the top of said frame and rearwardly therefrom. A pipe 58 is welded on top of the bracket 51 to extend fore and aft and a rod 59 is arranged slidably in the pipe 58. A socket 68 is securely fastened to the front end of the rod 59 and a cross plate 8| is firmly connected with the socket 88, for instance by welding, and extends horizontally across the front of the hay loader. A plurality of downwardly extending prongs 62 are rigidly mounted on the cross plate 6|.

is fastened onto the first eye bracket 53 trained over the sheave 55 on the double bracket 84 and leads to a. winding drum 69, which is a part of the loading control mechanism to be described later.

A third cable is attached to the second eye bracket 61, trained over the sheave 85, and leads to a third winding drum 1|, also forming a part of the control mechanism.

On the lower ends of the bars forming the loading frame 34 a substantially circular DIME? onto the bars of the loading- O the forward end of the short forward leg elements 18 are fastened onto the tractor frame. as indicated at 19, and extend downwardly beyond the tractor frame and the lower ends of these leg elements 18 are bifurcated. In each of these bifurcations a sheave is rotatably mounted.

The cable 14 is trained over one of these .sheaves 88 and the cable 15 over the other sheave 88. Cable 14 leads to a winding drum 8| and the cable 15 to a companion winding drum Ma. The rearward leg element 11 is also fastened to the tractor frame but does not extend downwardly beyond this frame. The adjusting lever bracket 88 is attached to the rearward. upper corner of the mechanism frame members.

Two shafts in the bracket 84a. The short shaft 85 is connected by means of a universal joint 88 to a shaft 81 adapted to be driven by the tractor motor '55 through a power take-off (not shown).

shaft 85 a second bevel gear 88 meshing with the first bevel gear 84 is rigidly mounted.

Adjacent this bevel gear 84 a spur gear 89. is

rigidly mounted on the rear shaft 82 and a second spur gear 98 meshing with the first spur gear 89 is rigidly mounted on the forward shaft 88, so that the two shafts are always driven in opposite directions.

The winding drums 5|, 89 and 8| are mounted slidably and rotatably on the rear shaft 82. On the forward shaft 83 the winding drums 8|u and 1| are slidably and rotatably mounted so that the drum 8|a is located in front of the drum 8| on the rear shaft 82, and drum 1| in front of the drum 89 on the rear shaft. Another winding drum 9| is slidably and rotatably mounted on the front shaft 83 in front of winding drum 5|. Each winding drum has a wide brake flange 92 and a narrow clutch flange 98. Spaced from each clutch flange 93 a clutch disc 94 is rigidly mounted on the respective shaft.

A support arm 95 is firmly attached to the top of the'horizontal frame element 18 on the opposite side from the gears 89 and 98 and extends inwardly therefrom. It two shafts 82 and 88.

Three control levers 98, 91 and 98, respectively. are pivotally mounted on the support arm 98.

Each control lever is located adjacent the brake flange 92 of the winding drums. On each brake flange 92 a hub v99 is formed surrounded by a is located between the shift member I provided with a shift arm IOI. These shift arms are pivotally connected with the corresponding control lever by means of pivot pins I 02. The pivot connections I09 of the control levers with the support arm 95 are located midway between each pair of pivot pins I02. The control lever 96 is connected in this manner with the winding drums and 9I, the control lever 91 with the drums 09 and II, and the control lever 90 with the drums 8| and Bla.

The control levers extend rearwardly and each lever is provided with a handle I04.

A hand lever I05 is pivotally connected with each control lever adjacent the inner end of the handle I04. A brake block I06 is mounted on each control lever between the adjacent brake flanges. In the front end of each brake block I06 a pivot pin I0! is pivotally arranged. A lever arm I08 is rigidly mounted on this pin extends forwardly thereof and is pivotally connected with a brake band I09 surrounding each of the brake flanges 92 of the winding drums mounted on the front shaft 03.

Underneath each control lever a bearing bracket H0 is arranged in which a pin III is located holding the other end of the brake band I09.

On the other end of each pivot pin I01 a second lever arm II! is rigidly mounted and is pivotally connected with a connecting link II3, the rear end of which is pivotally connected with the upwardly extending arm of a crank lever II4 pivotally supported by a bearing bracket I I5, which is arranged underneath each control lever. The rearwardly extending arm of this crank lever I I4 is pivotally connected with one end of a brake band IIG surrounding each brake flange 92 of the winding drums mounted on the rear shaft 02. The other end of each brake band H6 is fastened to the rear end of the corresponding brake block I08. A connecting rod 1 is pivotaily connected at one end with an arm H8 extending at approximately right angles to the hand levers I05 and at the other end to the upright extending arm of the crank lever I I4.

A strong helical spring I I9 extends between the forward end of each brake block I06 and the corresponding upwardly extending arm of each crank lever II4 urging said arm forwardly, whereby the brake bands I09 and I I6 are put into working contact with the corresponding brake flanges 92.

Normally, all winding drums are engaged by the corresponding brake bands under the influence of the spring II9.

When the forwardly extending prongs 54 have gathered a load of hay, the hand lever I05 on the control lever 96 is actuated whereby the winding drums 5| and 9| are disengaged from their brakes. The control lever is then pivoted to bring the clutch flange 93 of the drum 5I into contact with the adjacent clutch disc 94 which rotates with the shaft 82 as long as the motor 55 runs. The cable 50 is wound up on the drum 5I raising the traveler 45 and the prongs 54 into the position shown in Figure 6. Then the drum- 5| is freed from the clutch disc and the hand lever is let loose so that the spring II9 forces the brake bands into braking position, preventing the traveler 45 and its load from downward movement.

' Winding drums 8| and 8Ia are then freed from their brakes and the drums are put into clutchengaging position whereby one of the cables 14 and I5 is wound up on its drum and the other one unwound, so that the loading frame 34 is pivhaving a circumferential groove therein,

and 44 swinging the at will to the right the like (not oted about the pivot pins 4I load on the raised prongs 54 or the left over a hay wagon or shown).

Thenthe winding drums 69 and 'II are set into operation by means of the control lever 91 to move the sliding rod 59 and the downwardly ex tending prongs connected therewith forwardly to remove the load from the prongs 54.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A hay loader adapted to be attached to an automotive vehicle including a support frame, a loading frame, and a plurality of gathering prongs on the loading frame adapted to be moved upwardly and downwardly on the loading frame, said loading frame being hingedly supported by the support frame, and means for swinging the loading frame and the gathering prongs thereon at will to the right or to the left, said means consisting of a pair of winding drums, each drum being slidably and rotatably mounted on a horizontal shaft extending transversely of the vehicle, said shafts being adapted to be driven in opposite directions by the motor of the automotive vehicle, a brake on each drum, a spring permanently urging said brakes into working position, a clutch flange on each drum, a clutch disc rigidly mounted on each shaft and spaced from the clutch flange, a control lever adapted to move the drum in and .out of clutch-engaging position, a hand lever pivotally mounted on the control. lever for releasing the drums fromtheir brakes, a substantially circular bracket on the loading frame and a cable fastened to each side of the loading frame and arranged in said groove, one of said cables leading to one of the winding drums and the second cable leading to the other drum.

2. A hay loader adapted to be attached to an automotive vehicle, including a support frame,

, an upright loading frame, a plurality of gathering prongs supported by the loading frame, and means for moving said prongs as a unit upwardly and downwardly on the loading frame, the loading frame being hingedly supported by the support frame, means for swinging the loading frame on the support frame at will to the right or left, a plurality of downwardly extending unloading prongs supported on top of the loading frame, and means for moving the unloading prongs lengthwise in relation to the gathering prongs, the last-named means consisting of a pipe bracket fastened to the top of the loading frame, an unloading rod slidably arranged in the'pipe bracket, the unloading prongs being fastened to the unloading rod, a pair of winding drums, each drum rotatably and slidably mounted on a shaft, said shafts being adapted to be driven by the motor of the vehicle in opposite directions, a brake and a clutch for each drum, the brakesnormally engaging the drums, a control lever for simultaneously engaging each drum with the corresponding clutch, a hand lever on the control lever for simultaneously releasing the drums from the brakes, a cable connecting the front end of the unloading rod with one of the drums, and a second cable connecting the rear end of the unloading rod with' the second drum.

3. In a hay loader, a wheeled support, a substantially vertical support frame pivotally mounted upon the wheeled support and adapted to swing vertically, means associated with the wheeled support to cause the support frame to swing vertically, a substantially vertical loading the wheeled support and connected ated winding means for the flrstframe pivotally mounted upon the support frame and adapted to swing horizontally, means assoswing vertically, means including a substantially horizontal reciprocating member mounted upon with the support frame for swinging the same vertically, a substantially vertical loading frame pivotally mounted upon the support frame and adapted to swing horizontally and extending above the support frame, power operated means mounted upon the wheeled support and connected with the loading frame for swinging the loading frame horizontaily, a traveler mounted upon the loading frame and adapted to move vertically along the same, a substantially horizontal hay gathering member carried by the traveler and projecting forwardly of the same, power operated means mounted upon the wheeled support and connected with the traveler for raising and lowering the same, a horizontally reciprocating member mounted upon the loading frame near the top of the same, a substantially vertical hay unloading member carried by such reciprocating member and depending from the same for co-action with the substantially horizontal hay gathering member when such member is in a raised position, and power operated means to move the second named reciprocating member.

5. In a hay loader, a wheeled support, a substantially vertical support frame pivotally mounted upon the wheeled support to swing vertically,

, manually operated means including a substantially horizontal member slidably mounted upon the wheeled support and disposed above the same and connected with the support frame for swinging the same, a substantially vertical loading frame pivotally connected with the support frame and adapted to swing horizontally, flexible elements attached to the loading frame upon opposite sides of the same and extending rearwardly therefrom, a traveler mounted upon the loading frame and adapted to be raised and lowered, a flexible element connected with the traveler and extendingabove the same, guide 'means arranged near the top of the support frame for engagement with said flexible element,

said flexible element extending rearwardly of the guide means, a hay gathering member mounted upon the traveler and extending laterally thereing such guide means and extending rearwardly therefrom, and separately controlled power operand second elements and for the flexible element connected with the traveler, said winding means being arranged near the end of the means, and

wheeled support remote from the support frame and mounted upon the wheeled support.

6. In a hay loader, a wheeled support, a support frame attached to the a loading frame pivotally connected with the ing a pair of winding drums, a substantially horizontal rotatable shaft for slidably and rotatably receiving each drum thereon, said shafts being adapted to be driven in opposite directions.

h and spaced ber of the drum,

7. A hay loader, port, a support frame mounted upon the wheeled support, an upright loading frame pivotally mounted upon the support frame and adapted to swing horizontally, a hay gathering member carried by the loading frame and adapted to be raised and lowered thereon, means to raise and right angles to the path of travel of the hay gathering member, the last named means including a pair of winding drums, a rotatable shaft for slidably and rotatably receiving each drum, power operated means to drive the shafts in opposite directions in unison, a brake friction clutch for each drum, the brakes normally engaging the drums, control means to engage each drum with the corresponding clutch, means for releasing the brakes on the corresponding drums, and flexible elements attached to the hay unloading member near its opposite ends, one such flexible element being connected with and windable upon one of the drums, the second flexible element being connected with and windable upon the other drum. g

8. In a hay loader, a wheeled frame, a support frame mounted upon the wheeled frame, a loading frame pivotally mounted upon the support frame and adapted to swing horizontally, means to swing the loading frame, a hay gathering member mounted upon the support frame and adapted to be raised and lowered, means to raise and lower the hay gathering member, and movable hay unloading means separate from the hay gathering member disposed near the top of the loading frame and adapted to move substantially at right angles to the path of travel of the hay gathering member, and means separate from the hay gatherlng member to move the hay unloading means.

CHARLES J. SMITH. (References on following page) comprising a wheeled supfor each drum, a

Number Name Date REFERENCES CITED 700,077 Nelson Sep 12, 1905 The following references are of record in the 856,966 Lewis et a]. June 11, 190'! file of this patent: 1,556,262 Streeter Oct. 6, 1925 1,500,791 Anthony F Nov. 10, 1925 UNHED sums Imus 2,372,070 Willrodt Apr. a, 1045 Number Nam D 2,405,312 Mandt Aug. 6. 1946 667,379 Woolery Feb. 5, 1901 I 

